Fisher

An assessment of population growth drivers in Fisher reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Fisher's population was around 3,317 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 98 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,219 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,310 in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 2,099 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Fisher's growth of 3.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 0.6%, indicating it was a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving population growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections were used, also based on 2022. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth of national areas was anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 2 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a decrease of 0.1% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Fisher according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Fisher has recorded approximately five residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 28 homes were approved, with one additional home approved in FY26 so far.

On average, this results in around seven new residents per year for every home built during these years. This demand significantly outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and intensifying competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $245,000. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Fisher has approximately three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks in the 17th percentile of areas assessed, indicating limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties.

This lower-than-average national figure reflects the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows a mix of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding the range of medium-density options and creating opportunities across various price brackets. This shift from the existing housing composition (currently 83.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Fisher shows a population density of around 1929 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Fisher may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Fisher has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch identified 0 projects potentially influencing this area. Notable initiatives are Athllon Drive Duplication, The Hunter project, Canberra Hospital Master Plan, and Centenary Hospital expansion. Relevant projects are listed below.

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Employment performance in Fisher has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Fisher's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.4% as of September 2025.

Employment stability has been relatively consistent over the past year. There were 1,669 residents employed in September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is 0.8% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation was at 64.3%, lagging behind the ACT's 69.6%.

Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. Retail trade employment stands at 4.9% compared to the regional average of 6.6%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, while labour force grew by 0.9%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory saw employment rise by 1.4% and unemployment fall by 0.2%. As of 25-November, ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, adding 710 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fisher's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch reports median taxpayer income in Fisher SA2 was $68,261 in financial year 2022. Average income stood at $81,206. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to $68,678 and $83,634 in Australian Capital Territory respectively. As of September 2025, estimated median and average incomes are approximately $77,544 and $92,250, based on a 13.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Fisher's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 91st percentiles. Income brackets show 25.9% of residents earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly, mirroring surrounding regions at 34.3%. Notably, 39.1% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, indicating strong purchasing power. Fisher's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Fisher is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Fisher, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 82.8% houses and 17.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 81.7% houses and 18.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fisher was 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.0% and rented dwellings at 20.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fisher was $2,354, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,251. Median weekly rent in Fisher was $415, compared to $420 in Australian Capital Territory. Nationally, Fisher's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,354 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Fisher has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.5% of all households, including 34.4% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households making up 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.6.

Fisher shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Fisher's residents aged 15+ show higher educational attainment than Australia's average. 43.3% hold university qualifications compared to the national 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.0%, with advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 14.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary, 8.5% in secondary, and 4.5% in tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Fisher has 16 active public transport stops. These are mixed bus services operating along four routes. Each week, these routes facilitate 685 passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 196 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency averages 97 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Fisher is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Fisher faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, particularly among older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,016 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.0 and 8.5% of residents respectively. A total of 67.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 66.3%. The area has 19.0% of residents aged 65 and over (631 people), which is lower than the 20.6% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Fisher was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Fisher was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 23.3% of its population born overseas and 16.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Fisher is Christianity, comprising 45.1% of people in the area. However, Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 2.8% of the population compared to 2.0% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Fisher are English at 25.9%, Australian at 24.9%, and Irish at 9.8%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.5% compared to 0.6% regionally, French at 0.8% compared to 0.7%, and Croatian at 1.0% compared to 0.9%.

Fisher's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Fisher is 40 years, which exceeds the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and is slightly higher than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Fisher has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (8.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.2%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 9.4% to 10.7%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 7.7% to 8.9%. Conversely, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 8.9% to 7.2%. By the year 2041, Fisher's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 58%, reaching 149 people from a previous count of 94. This growth will be largely driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 67% of the projected population growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 5-14 age cohorts.